Eyeglasses have been used for hundreds of years to provide vision assistance to wearers. Eyeglasses typically comprise a face member including two eyewires or rims that hold lenses and a bridge that connects the two rims. The bridge may include a nosepiece to allow the rims to rest more comfortably on a wearer's nose. A temple member extends from the lateral side of each rim. The temple member is designed to extend rearwardly on the head of the wearer and over the ears in order to provide a resting position for the eyeglasses on the face of the wearer.
Eyeglasses provide vision assistance to the wearer in various ways. Prescription lenses provide corrective vision for the wearer, assisting the wearer in seeing near or distant objects more clearly. Sunglasses may or may not include corrective lenses, but provide the benefit of blocking bright or excessive light from the eyes of a wearer. Eyeglasses may also provide protection for the eye of the wearer, including protection from wind or from flying debris.
Sunglasses may be particularly useful for a wearer participating in athletic events. In these situations, the glasses should provide vision benefits including protection from light, wind and other elements. In addition, sunglasses or other eyeglasses worn for athletic activity should be comfortable and fit properly on the wearer's head. If the eyeglasses are not comfortable or do not fit properly, the eyeglasses may be distracting to the wearer. This may cause the wearer to repeatedly adjust the positioning of the eyeglasses glasses on his or her face during the athletic event in an attempt to obtain a more secure and comfortable fit.
Unfortunately, obtaining a proper fit for sunglasses and other eyeglasses is often difficult. Most sunglasses and other eyeglasses are sold in only a single size (or adult and junior sizes). However, heads and faces of wearers come in numerous shapes and sizes. As a result, it is difficult for manufacturers to manufacture sunglasses that will fit numerous individuals properly. For example, if the temples are too close together, many wearers may find that the sunglasses fit too snugly on the head. On the other hand, if the temples are too far apart, many users may find that the sunglasses fit too loosely on the head.
A number of eyeglass designs which promise to provide a snug yet comfortable fit are currently available on the market. However, each of these designs fails to provide optimal fit and comfort for the wearer. In one common eyeglass design, an armature (i.e., a wire core) is hidden inside of a rubber outer skin. As a result, the temples are flexible, but the wearer is forces to continuously adjust the temples in an attempt to obtain a comfortable yet snug fit based on the unique size and shape of the head of the wearer
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide sunglasses and other eyeglasses that are comfortable for multiple wearers while also adapting to properly fit the heads of numerous differently sized wearers. It would also be advantageous if the temples of the eyeglasses were configured to automatically adjust to any of various unique head sizes and shapes, allowing the temples to actively (rather than passively) embrace the head of the wearer. It would also be advantageous if the same features of the sunglasses that were used to provide comfort and fit were incorporated into the sunglasses in a manner to make the same features appear to be primarily aesthetic.